


The Green Raging Demon

by SenorWeon



Category: Street Fighter, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Akuma is way stronger, Angry Bakugou Katsuki, Angry Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Body Horror, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Martial Arts, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All Quirk, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Quirkless Midoriya Izuku, Suicide Attempt, Villain Midoriya Izuku, as they become relevant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:42:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21756235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SenorWeon/pseuds/SenorWeon
Summary: After being discouraged by All Might, Izuku broke. Who would have imagined that the resentment he had bottled up over his short lifetime would be the perfect source for a power far more devastating than any other quirk seen before? Follow Izuku in his path to embrace the Satsui No Hado, surpass his humanity, and become a true Master of the Fist. Cross-post from FFN [Rated M: for METSU! (violence/broken bones/blood)]
Relationships: Akuma (Street Fighter) & Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Izuku & Yagi Toshinori | All Might
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	1. Arriving to Hell.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own neither My Hero Academia nor Street Fighter, obviously.

"Even if I don't have a quirk..."

_You should probably give it up._

"... can I become a hero?"

_Izuku here has two joints._

"Can someone Quirkless… "

_I'm sorry Izuku! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!_

"... be like you?!"

_You can't get into the hero course just by studying!_

There stood Midoriya Izuku, a young Quirkless boy who fate seemed to hate particularly, on the rooftop of an office building.

In front of him was his lifelong role model. The number one hero: All Might.

He had been told his entire life that his dream was fruitless, that he should give up, that he would only end up getting himself killed. But within Izuku's heart lied an image that had kept him going forward in pursuing his raison d'etre, even after a decade of bullying and ridicule.

The image of a boisterous, blond giant, smiling in the face of danger while carrying a dozen civilians out of a bus on fire.

_Everything is fine now! Why? BECAUSE I AM HERE!_

That man, All Might, was now in front of him. The man that incarnated selflessness and justice itself. The man that had single-handedly lowered the country's crime rate. The man that had become the shining Symbol of Peace, protector of the weak and savior of those in need.

"No."

And the man that had just finished shattering Izuku's heart.

"I am sorry, but pro heroes are always risking their lives. I cannot simply say 'you can become a hero, even if you lack power.'"

Izuku just stood there, staring with empty green eyes at All Might.

"If you want to help others, then you could also become a police officer. They often get teased because they get villains delivered to their doorstep, but it's still a noble occupation."

Steam seemed to materialize slowly around All Might. But Izuku didn't pay it any attention, or to be precise, his mind could not process it at the moment.

"It's not bad to dream. But you also have to be realistic, young man."

And with that, All Might leaped far away at an incredible speed, leaving an unresponsive Izuku alone on the building's roof, forever staring into the distance.

A minute had passed since All Might had left. Then five minutes. Then fifteen.

In total, Izuku had been standing still a bit more than half an hour on that deserted roof.

And suddenly, he started walking towards the stairs, not bothering picking up his bag. His eyes always empty, resembling more of a zombie's than a human's. His head slightly tilted downward.

It took Izuku another fifteen minutes of slowly shambling his way down the building's stairs. When he reached the main floor, he was asked of his intentions by a lonesome security guard, yet Izuku continued on his way, never acknowledging the man's existence despite his protests.

Once out of the building, Izuku was met by a beautiful orange sky, a product of the descending sun on the horizon. But the boy just kept walking down the street, unconcerned by the sound of firetrucks and ambulances in the distance.

Maybe there was still something alive inside Izuku's mind, because he was walking with his back towards the sunset, avoiding the light hit him directly in the eyes. He also stopped on every red light and seemed to avoid bumping into other passersby.

One could say he looked like a normal middle schooler. Though upon further inspection one would notice that Izuku wasn't blinking, and his expression, although calmed, resembled one of someone who had just witnessed a terrible accident or were watching how a natural disaster came their way.

And Izuku just kept walking, his subconsciousness and instinct helping him not trip and avoid the common dangers of the streets. Though if someone had used their quirk to read Izuku's mind, they would have understood that it was pointless.

The boy was dead inside. His mind was blank, but his heart hosted a hurricane of emotions:

Hatred.

Frustration.

Shame.

Resentment.

And, unbeknownst to him, something much more destructive.

* * *

Four more hours had passed since Izuku had left the building where he had his talk with All Might. The once clear night sky was now covered by dark storm clouds, and what started as a drizzle soon became a downpour.

Everyone in the streets focused on seeking refuge from the cold, heavy rain. Some were too naive and thought cheap umbrellas from the convenience store would shield them from nature's wrath, only to have it twist and bend under the pressure of the constant rising winds.

The wiser ones decided for a simpler solution and sought refuge inside the nearby stores and malls. Some tried to wait it out at the bus stops, but quickly scrapped the idea once they noticed that the water had accumulated on the streets. Had something clogged the sewers?

However, despite the diluvial event, Izuku's pace was unaffected. Even with water up to his knees, even with freezing clothes tightly hugging his whole body, even with winds that threatened to cut his flesh and expose his bones to the elements, the boy's empty expression remained unfazed.

He kept walking until the sound of the crashing tides eclipsed the falling rain. Izuku had arrived at some beach full of scrap metal and trash, resembling a dump more than a place for family vacations.

The tides, enraged by the natural phenomenon in the skies, mercilessly crashed against the tall piles of debris and waste. The noxious mixture darkened the waters, corrupting the ocean into a vile stew and forever scarring the sand.

But none of this mattered to Izuku, who quickly stepped on the black mud that now ruled the beach. The earth swallowed his very step, threatening to steal his footwear, slowing down his new stride. Perhaps an act of pity from Mother Nature towards the broken boy? However, no matter how many more precious seconds for reconsideration the storm granted Izuku, there was only one clear memory echoing in his heart, clouding his judgement.

If you think you'll have a quirk in your next life…

The earth now held Izuku up to his shins, while the wrath of the oceans did its best to spit him out of its domain. Black water assaulted everyone of Izuku's senses, forcing him to shut his eyes and mouth. The rotting smell of liquid waste was enough to force his gag reflex and churn the contents of his entrails, granting him a succinct moment of clarity.

Yet it was too late.

A massive black wave towered over Izuku, carrying the full rage of the sea mixed with countless artificial objects.

Primal fear invaded Izuku, and a hopeless desire for self-preservation finally took the reins of his body.

And the merciless waters came down, crashing on his tiny frame. Slamming him with a dreadful force against the mud and dragging him like a rag doll against the fortress of trash.

Immense pressure manifested on every fiber of Izuku's being, but he felt no immediate pain thanks to a surge of adrenaline. That said, Izuku could still feel how his bones threatened to break, how his muscles tore and screamed, and how his flesh and skin were endlessly lacerated by the sharp objects that plagued his new watery hell.

Another wave struck, and the tower of waste and steel crumbled onto the boy, filling his mind with darkness.

* * *

On an island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, a twenty meter tall wave threatened to strike the sea cliff with terrible force.

The storm had been raging for a day and two nights now, destroying countless ships on the high seas and spreading their broken pieces across the rocky beach. Lightning struck on random intervals, filling the horizon with raw energy, quickly followed by the booming sound of thunder so loud it would leave one deaf for a few seconds.

On a rock stump, barely a meter over the turbulent waters, stood a man focusing his power, unfazed by the sea colossus charging his way. For him, this was merely an exercise he had repeated countless times during his immortal life. His skill had surpassed Mother Nature long ago, yet she still seemed to throw tantrums on his way now and then.

And today would be no different.

The stone beneath his feet trembled, its rumbling muffled by the noise of the storm. Suddenly, small cracks started forming like spiderwebs, centered on each of his sandals. The man's muscles pulsated. His veins bulged all over his body, supplying his cells with not only oxygen, but with raw, dark power.

The man brought his hands together to his side, forming a small, round cage with his fingers. His eyes shone bright red, and a blood-red aura manifested around his body. Then, a bright purple energy began materializing between his palms. His red mane, now tinted by the light in his grasp, flowed wildly with the wind.

The energy took a physical form: a sphere, of about twenty centimeters in diameter, made of shadow-like white-purple energy that convulsed and fluctuated continuously in between the man's hands. Not yet satisfied, the man let out a terrifying roar, pouring even more power into his hands, causing the sphere to triplicate in size.

The giant wave was now merely fifteen meters away from the man, closing in at a stunning speed. However, instead of being greeted with fear, the man's expression was a scowl full of spite and wrath. With a battle cry, he thrusted his hands forward, shooting the orb of destruction at ludicrous speed towards the tide.

The purple ball of energy rushed through the air. In an instant it penetrated the wave without resistance and exploded into a massive purple fireball. The sheer force of the explosion split the ocean in two, revealing an endless variety of artificial objects on the rocky floor. Then, each side of the split wave collapsed, nullifying each other's force.

Despite the jaw-dropping achievement, the man seemed displeased.

"Hmph."

Hints of disappointment could be seen manifesting on his permanent scowl. Was he looking down on the power of the elements or was he not satisfied with his own strength?

Another wave seemed to form in the horizon, and the man got into his concentration pose once again.

Breath in. Breath out.

He felt the power of the Satsui No Hado surge within him.

Then something small grabbed his ankle.

In a flash, the man shifted his leg backward and stomped the attacker with the other, shattering their wrist to pieces, and breaking the stone surface. Yet no howl of pain was heard.

"Another shadow? To think their power would diminish to—"

He paused, noticing that the possible shadow suspect had dark green hair and was very young, probably in his teens, so he discarded the possibility.

Wrath, violence and murderous intent began to grow within him.

"Who dares interrupt my training?" The man spat. This lost island had been his domain for decades now, an isolated paradise in a world of mass communications. It was the perfect spot for his training, and he would not shy away from murdering intruders to keep it from being discovered.

The boy didn't respond. Was he even alive?

From what he could see, the boy's arm was brimming with cuts and bruises. His wounds seemed to be infected, as the skin surrounding them was bright red, and an unpleasant rotting stench emanated from him.

"Hmph. Pathetic."

The new giant wave would arrive in less than a minute now.

The man couldn't care less about the fate of such a weak being. In fact, it only disgusted him. It reminded him about how decades ago humans had naturally developed powers beyond their imagination, and how they had grown complacent, seeking to drown themselves in earthly desires like fame and riches.

They relied more and more in the power they were blessed with at birth, instead of cultivating the strength of their fists. To him, this was an unacceptable way of living, so he secluded himself for his training, only visiting modern society every couple of years hoping someone had risen to his level.

The man grunted, shaking the unpleasant thoughts out of his mind. He glared down upon the young boy. He still had not removed his foot from what remained of the boy's wrist. It was probably the only anchor point stopping the boy from sinking back into the shifting waters. Then the man finally said:

"If you are going to die, then die already. A weakling like you, sheltered all his life from even the most trivial of dangers, deserves nothing short of a dog's death. Die, and accept this fate you have brought upon yourself. Because living consciously in weakness, without ever seeking strength, is the greatest of sins."

But before the man could lift his foot and let the ocean swallow the boy, something grabbed his ankle yet again.

The man quickly shifted his sight back down to his foot, annoyed that this weakling still defied the fate he rightfully deserved. Then his red eyes widened, and a dumbfounded expression briefly overpowered his permanent scowl.

A faint, dark green aura was enveloping his ankle like a fetter.

The enormous wave was towering on top of them when the man had finally regained his composure. He grabbed the boy's arm and jumped with incredible strength, not caring in the slightest in being gentle. A sonic boom signalled their departure from the "danger," and an instant later they were at the top of the cliff.

The man threw the boy in front of him, who rolled around the mud like a rag doll. He probably dislocated the boy's arm during that jump, but that didn't matter right now. As long as the boy was breathing the state of his body wouldn't matter.

The man raised his arm, pointing his palm towards the boy. A blood-red aura emanated from his hand and flowed towards the battered body.

A chilling smirk, revealing sharp teeth, found its way to the man's face. It seems fate had finally decided he could put his title into practice, once again.

The "Master of the Fist," Akuma, had gained an apprentice who would follow his path of the demon.

Whether or not they like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Well, this is my first time writing an author's note, so I don't know much to say other than this is a little fun project I have thought about for a while now. I have loved many of the Street Fighter characters ever since I played MvC2 on the PS2 with some friends, even when they sometimes come off as incredibly cheesy *cough* Akuma *cough* (still love him).
> 
> You probably want to know the direction of this story, well luckily for you I already made a very rough draft of what I want to do (I have also decided on the ending, hopefully my motivation can get us there though) and, without spoiling anything major, this is going to be a Villain Izuku Midoriya fic who will follow the path of the demon, so the good actions he does will be mostly coincidental or align with his goal.
> 
> As you can probably guess, pairings are not a focus of this fic unless you consider IzukuxHisOwnBloodyFists a legit ship. I hope I can get each character right, I promise I'll work hard on making it fun and somewhat believe considering the premise. Regarding a schedule… I consider this merely a project to have fun with, meaning that I'll work on it when I feel like having fun with it, akin to a game (sorry not sorry). I promise the next chapters will be longer though, I consider this merely an introductory chapter (basically, crushing Izuku's hopes and dreams and get him to meet Akuma, lol)
> 
> Oh! Also, I am not a native English speaker, but I try my best to write in a comprehensible manner (never thought proofreading would take just as long as writing the story itself) I hope my descriptions aren't too confusing/boring/too over the top.
> 
> For what the next chapter will be about... well, it's time for Izuku to learn the true meaning of pain!
> 
> Cheers! And remember…
> 
> 滅 METSU! 滅


	2. Learning the Meaning of Pain, Part One.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku wakes up inside a dark room and painful stuff happens.  
> 滅 METSU! 滅

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own neither My Hero Academia nor Street Fighter, obviously.

_You think you can be a hero, huh?_

_Pro heroes are always risking their lives._

_When I get my quirk I want to be just like him!_

_He still can't face reality._

_It's time to start thinking seriously about your futures!_

_You lack power._

_Enough Kacchan!_

_I'm afraid there is no hope for him._

_What can you even do?_

_I'm sorry Izuku!_

_You are Quirkless. You think you can rub shoulders with me?!_

_You lack power._

_You need to be realistic, kid._

_Don't you dare get into U.A. nerd!_

_I think that saving people is just about the coolest thing someone can do._

_I cannot simply say 'you can become a hero.'_

_I can't breathe! I'm going to die?!_

_Why? BECAUSE YOU LACK POWER!_

"GAH!"

Izuku woke up with a scream, cold sweat running down all over his body. He had been sleeping shirtless in a dusty futon for who knows how long. A dim light, a small iron lantern next to his ragged pillow, was the only thing keeping the surrounding darkness at bay.

What happened? Where was he? What time was it?

Izuku looked at his arms. They were covered with multiple leaves of various sizes and shapes; they were glued to his skin with the help of some smelly grey substance. His chest, back and face also appeared to be covered with the leaves. Then, Izuku noticed that something hard was covering his right hand and part of his forearm. It appeared to be some sort of improvised splint made of tree bark and strips of cloth tied together with numerous knots.

"What, what's going on? Did I get hurt? I, I don't remember how I got here."

But Izuku's question were met with complete silence from the shadows.

He was getting more nervous by the second. His eyes began scanning his surroundings, hoping to find someone or something that could calm the uncertainty growing in his heart. But the tiny flame was too weak to overpower the darkness for more than a couple of meters.

_Ok Izuku, think, think! What's the last thing you remember? From what you can see, you were hurt somehow, and someone patched you up. They were kind enough to treat your wounds and let you sleep until you recuperated, and from the state of this futon and the fact that they use combustion-based lightning, it seems that they are rather poor, unless..._

Izuku heartbeat accelerated as his mind went into overdrive, analyzing every bit of information available to him while doing his best to remember what happened. He hoped to reach a reasonable explanation to his current situation. But the dreadful thought of having been kidnapped by some human traffickers was slowly spreading its roots inside his heart.

Small tears began forming on the corners of his eyes as he grabbed the small lantern with trembling hands. Izuku knew that there was only one way to find answers. He will have to venture out into the darkness and explore the area. The mere thought of running into possible villains sent shivers down his spine.

Izuku shook his head and cleaned his eyes with his hand.

_No. Stop being so pessimistic, Izuku. The worst thing you can do right now is to panic!_

And with that, Izuku steeled his resolve and stood up.

Then he noticed he was only in his limited edition All Might boxers, and all his newfound determination turned into a deep red flush.

After managing to calm himself again, Izuku began wandering around the dark room, tiptoeing as to reduce the wooden floor's creak to a minimum. At first, he scouted the area around the futon, afraid of losing track of his only point of reference in the darkness. But after a couple of fruitless rounds he realized that the room must be pretty big, so Izuku chose a random direction and walked forward, hoping to find a wall or door that could direct his search.

As Izuku carefully made his way through the darkness, his sight shifted from side to side, occasionally looking back over his shoulder. He could not shake the thought that there was something watching him from the shadows. Maybe the gloom his meager light source provided was playing him tricks in his mind. But despite his best attempts at rationalizing an explanation, Izuku's heart refused to listen to reason, slowly but steadily speeding up its beating.

Step by step Izuku journeyed deeper into the never-ending darkness. His only companions being the rusty lantern that kept him sane, and the creaking floor that betrayed his very step which, in consequence, put Izuku's sense of fight or flight on the edge.

Izuku brought his free hand to his mouth, muffling the noise of his accelerated breathing. Although his light source was comforting, it also worked as a beacon that revealed his position. He couldn't help but feel like a small animal walking through a jungle full of shadowy predators. But Izuku kept on going forward, his hand with the lamp extended in front of him, guiding his steps as he told himself that everything was going to be alright.

Ten steps had soon turned into over fifty. Just how big was this room? Was he inside some old warehouse? No, the floor was made of old wood planks, it did not make any sense. Maybe he was in some abandoned building like an old theater or Shinto shrine. If that was the case, who had brought him here and for what purpose?

Questions kept piling up in Izuku's head, and the lack of answers only served to feed the dread that, bit by bit, wormed its way into his heart. He wasn't the type of person who would often assume the worst, but his lack of recent memories and the ominous atmosphere were doing their best to chip away at his composure.

_Am, am I dead?_

And just like that, Izuku remembered the towering wave crashing down on him.

Horror took over Izuku's expression as the eerie thought struck his soul. The minuscule amount of courage he had built up vanished in an instant. Chilling sweat began racing down his body, and his heart, oblivious to common sense, threatened to break through his chest as its furious beating boomed in his ears.

Izuku began walking faster into the shadows, not caring about his step being heard anymore.

_Where's the wall?! Where's the wall?! Where?! WHERE?!_

Izuku felt something brushing the back of his neck, and with a yelp his dash turned into a frenetic sprint. Tears ran down his cheeks like furious twin rivers, and a burning pain spread across his lungs as they desperately tried to keep up with his stertorous breathing.

Crackling sounds could be heard from the shadows, surrounding Izuku from every direction. Something was stalking him. Izuku had never had the valor to face his bullies, but somehow, he would have even less of it when facing the supernatural. All that mattered to him right now was the safety of his immortal soul.

He had been running at full speed for a whole minute now, a feat only possible to him thanks to the adrenaline in his system. But now his skinny body was begging him to stop, despite the protests coming from his heart. So, as his sprint slowed down to a crawl, the weak Izuku did the only thing he could do, the thing he had always done in his life:

"Huf, please… huagh. Please, I beg you! Ah! Please don't hurt me!"

He pleaded.

What else could he do, really? A weak, Quirkless boy cursed by fate at birth to be mocked, ridiculed, used and abused by others. Most people would not blame him, arguing that surrendering to the strong would be better than facing their wrath. But nobody could deny that this method made the boy look both pitiful and pathetic beyond measure.

With hands on his knees, Izuku panted. Sweat mixed with tears soaked the floor as he tried to steady his breathing.

"Please, please no more… I can't… please, I just want to go home. I'm sorry, please let me go! I beg you!"

Izuku cried. His body and mind had resigned to their fate. Throughout his life, they had grown accustomed to surrendering to Izuku's abusers, noticing that appealing to the opposing party's sense of mercy and pity, more often than not, would lead to better results for his physical health than trying to stand his ground.

"... ing… ku…"

A faint voice could be heard coming from somewhere distant in the darkness. Had the sense of imminent danger not sharpened Izuku's senses to their max right now, he would probably have missed it. Izuku wished that had been the case, however. Hearing it only caused his body to start shivering as a cold chill ran down his spine.

"... uck… dek… ing… ku..."

"Stay, STAY BACK! WHO ARE YOU!? WHERE AM I?!"

Izuku yelled at the top of his lungs as the voice came closer and became clearer. Perhaps it was his instinct doing the talking, a last-ditch effort to shake his fear away and hopefully intimidate his attacker. Though, it was a laughable attempt. Anyone who knew Izuku, or had seen him at least once, knew that there was not even a shred of "intimidating" inside him. At most, he could be considered creepy, but that was mostly because of his constant muttering.

_BOOM_

Izuku froze at the familiar sound coming from behind him. This had to be a nightmare, how else could _he_ be here with him? There was no other reasonable explanation, this terrible dream had to be a product of his imagination, a natural consequence from all those years of bullying. But why did it feel so real?

_I must wake up. How do I wake up?!_

"..king… eku…"

The voice was unmistakable. _He_ was here, slowly approaching Izuku from behind. And going by the heavy thuds that accompanied his steps and the tone of his hoarse voice, _he_ was pissed.

Izuku gritted his teeth, cursing that he couldn't escape his tormentor even in his own dreams. His dreams should have been his personal haven, a realm of fantasy and wish fulfillment that would grant him the necessary respite to endure his cruel reality. Yet here was this _bastard_ ruining even that for him, as if to make sure that Izuku was miserable even in the fictional world.

Izuku shut his eyes with great force, to the point one would worry he might accidentally turn them into a bloody pulp, and he began grinding his teeth together. Fear and terror were being pushed out of his heart by an unnatural force, leaving room for much more destructive emotions.

A terrible headache now relentlessly assaulted Izuku. It felt like if he had something pummeling the walls of his skull from within, desperately trying to free itself from the prison of bone and brain in bloody fashion.

The lantern creaked, its rusty iron was being crushed under Izuku's ever increasing grip pressure, causing a thin stream of blood to begin dripping from his hand. With his other hand Izuku covered his face, his fingernails digging into his skin and flesh as veins began to bulge.

_"_ _Why, why the hell are you here, you… you damn bastard!"_

Something was clearly wrong with Izuku. The boy that had been a wimp his entire life was now exuding a terrifying amount of killing intent, one that would freeze even the wildest of rampaging beasts on their tracks. But to his intruder such thing meant very little, after all he was here to finish the job, to finish what the wrath of nature had not.

The heavy steps have finally stopped. Izuku could tell that his tormentor was just behind him, and it pissed him off to no end. What the hell does he want? Why does he insist on torturing him even in his sleep? Was it not enough to make every conscious moment of his life miserable? Just how shitty Izuku's life had to be until he was satisfied? Was it some sort of fetish, some sort of twisted pleasure to feed his ego that pushed him to ruin Izuku's already wretched existence?

Whatever it was, Izuku had had enough. Overtaken by an unholy force he turned around with the rusty lamp in his hand, ready to crush the bloody metal into the damn face of his torturer, his tormentor, his source of pain and suffering, his bully: Katsuki Bakugo, a bastard that only a mother could love.

"GO TO HELL, KATSU—!"

But instead of meeting his aggressor face to face, all what Izuku could see was a dark hand, or to be precise, an open palm just millimeters away from his face. Izuku's eyes widened, he knew the terrible outcome that was to come, yet he could not stop his furious momentum.

"Fucking Deku."

"SHI—!"

_BOOM_

A point-blank explosion struck Izuku, knocking his head back with a snap. A scorching feeling embraced Izuku's face as the smell of ash, smoke and burnt flesh overwhelmed his nose and mouth.

In an instant Izuku had been knocked out, the force of the explosion rattled his brain back and forth causing a concussion. However, his aggressor was not quite yet satisfied, so before Izuku could fall backwards he grabbed Izuku on the shoulder, pulling him closer just to plant a heavy palm strike right on Izuku's guts.

"Gurgh!"

Izuku's eyes rolled backwards and he began puking a vile mixture tainted with blood. His forehead was planted on Katsuki's shoulder, ironically using his bully as a support pillar. A fragment of Izuku's consciousness was still told him to fight, to ignore the pain and to enact his just retribution.

"Die."

And another explosion detonated, crushing Izuku's insides and blasting the boy across the dark room. Despite being muffled by Izuku's own body, one could tell this explosion had been far more devastating than the previous one, as the choking cloud of smoke and the blinding flash of light betrayed the deadly nature of Katsuki's quirk.

Excruciating pain spread within Izuku, violently waking him up as he soared into the darkness. He now understood that this was not a dream or reality. This was Hell, his own personal Hell. Perhaps a punishment for his attempt on his own life?

Tears began to flow once more, covering his charred flesh, and regret took hold of Izuku's heart. Part of it was because of his own weakness, because now he fully understood that even if he had stood up to Katsuki back then, this would have been the result most likely. But the real reason was because he thought he would never be able to see his mother again, and the idea of his mother crying over his tombstone tore him apart.

_Please don't cry mom… please forgive me for always being so reckless._

And suddenly Izuku felt something hard colliding with his shoulders and the back of his head. The smell of fresh air followed, and Izuku's eyes were filled with light.

* * *

Somewhere near the misty mountain top, a man with red hair wearing a black sleeveless karate gi stood on a horse stance. His eyes were closed, and his head was slightly tilted downwards. Each hand like hammers rested on his sides just above his waist. He was in deep meditation, perceiving his surroundings with something akin to a sixth sense.

He could not rely on his eyes right now, as the thick mist would barely let anyone see beyond a few meters. But a warrior of his skill would know better than to depend only on what he could see.

As he exhaled, some of the mist in front of him dispersed, revealing a humanoid figure. It was about 175 centimeters tall, made of wood, lacked limbs, and had a monotonous expression carved on its face. A simple mannequin that served as target practice for the man.

However, it was not the only one. There were countless mannequins surrounding the man, hiding within the mist. But the man was sure that they were there, he could feel it, and he knew they were all facing his way, no matter where he positioned himself it had always been that way.

The earth began to rumble underneath his sandals and a blood red aura manifested around his body, stimulating every single muscle fiber in his body.

"Fuuuuh…"

The man exhaled once more, having identified the targets around him, he made up his mind on which devastating technique to put into practice.

Suddenly, his eyes opened wide, their crimson red shine pierced through the mist like twin lighthouses, and in the blink of an eye he spun 360 degrees around with an extended leg. A shockwave of purple energy extended around him at incredible speed, cutting through everything in its path and blowing the surrounding mist away.

In an instant, every single mannequin in an 80-meter radius had been torn to shreds, completely covering the dirt and stone with splinters of various sizes.

Never satisfied with the scale of his destructive power, the man simply grunted and began walking towards another area with more mannequins. He did not care a single bit about destroying all those wood figures, after all they would repair themselves over the night thanks to some ancient magic he never really cared to learn about. But having to wait until the next day for the figures to be usable once again was a constant test to his short patience.

As Akuma made his way through the mist that once more controlled the area, he felt a distant presence pulling his attention.

"Hmph, the boy must have finally awakened. That damn brat took his sweet time sleeping."

Akuma grunted in annoyance as he changed his direction. His never-ending training would have to be postponed for a while. This, of course, angered him.

To most, a break to replenish one's strength after a long session of training would be more than welcomed. It was common sense, nobody could keep on going forever, at least not without the help of a quirk. But to Akuma the need for rest was merely a human limitation, a barrier only mortals should be concerned about.

It had been decades since the last time he had slept, ate or drank anything. His mastery over the Satsui No Hado had allowed him to turn the dark power within him into nourishment. He had reached such a level that he could even spend an entire week without breathing, though Akuma still consciously did so because his breathing exercises were fundamental during meditation and to develop his Hado.

After about a minute of walking through the mist while effortlessly avoiding the mannequins, Akuma reached an old red torii of about 4 meters tall and 3 meters wide. He walked through the gateway into a stone stairway that lead down the mountain.

As Akuma began his descend, he mused about that weak boy. It had been four entire days since that brat was spat out by the ocean, during which Akuma trained near the top of the mountain in a place he called The Purgatory. He wondered about the kind of life that boy had been living so far. Of course, it must have been something pathetic like going to "school" and hoping to get into "college." Something along those lines. Or perhaps he wanted to be one of those so called "heroes"?

Akuma laughed internally at the ridiculous thought. It had taken him a single glance to understand that the boy was incredibly weak. In his eyes, a mouse or a dog had a better chance at becoming a "hero" than that boy. The idea that someone would seek a position that required power without a pinch of it was as absurd as it was infuriating.

It was against the order of things for the mouse to go against the cat, the result would be painfully predictable. If one wanted to survive in this world, one must seek strength, for it is the ultimate truth. Neither good or evil, strength and power ruled supreme over this world, and to think you can decide your fate or change the world without them was utter foolishness. If one was weak, then it was their obligation, their duty to seek strength.

Whatever the boy's past was, it did not matter now. His fate had been sealed the second his Hado manifested, and Akuma was going to make sure he reached his true potential.

Akuma sneered, it had been years since the last time he felt the satisfaction of a plan coming together. Though his contentment would be short lived as a surge of murderous intent in the distance brought him out of his thoughts.

"Damn it!"

Akuma frowned as he rushed into the forest in the direction of the dark aura, opting to abandon the stone stairway in favor of a more direct route. Although the forest was leafy and full of vegetation, Akuma's speed seemed unaffected, to the point one could say he was gliding through the woods as if they had not been there at all.

A single thought now ran through his mind: to reach the Hall of Hell, the shrine he had left the boy in, as quickly as possible. In his musings he had not noticed the appearance of a second Hado presence, and if his theory was correct then that feeble boy would not last much longer.

For the average human, it would take them about 3 hours to travel from The Purgatory to the Hall of Hell. 5 hours if they decided to venture through the thick forest instead of using the stairway for some reason. But Akuma had cleared the distance in merely a second and a half, and without even breaking a sweat.

When Akuma approached the front door of the shrine, his suspicions were validated. He perceived two Hado sources inside the Hall, and the tremendous amount of murderous intent coming from each of them. The boy was undoubtedly fighting a shadow, and he would certainly die or lose his sanity if Akuma did not step in.

Yet before Akuma could smash through the door, he heard the sound of crashing wood and a green blur flew by the corner of his eye. The boy had been blasted through the old wooden wall, right next to the main door. As quick as lightning he rushed towards the boy and grabbed him midair, placing him over one of his shoulders.

Akuma made sure the boy was still breathing before looking back into the hole in the wall. Inside of it he saw two red dots shining in the darkness, staring at him with palpable hatred. Smoke began to flow out of the hole, and a constant crackling filled the atmosphere as if foretelling an impending attack.

Not intimidated in the slightest, Akuma raised his aura and glared back with bloodshot eyes.

"You dare challenge the Master of the Fist? You are at least a hundred lives too early!"

With a stomp that crushed the earth beneath, Akuma took a fighting stance, still carrying the boy. It was evident from his tone and scowl that he was beyond furious. His blood-red aura flared over his shoulders, forming the kanji of destruction (滅) above his red mane.

The red dots within the hole flickered, and with an unintelligible curse they banished into the shadows.

"Hmph, that's what I thought. Now…"

Akuma dropped the boy to his side like a potato sack and cursed. The boy, still conscious somehow, groaned in pain while clutching his stomach. He was coughing blood as he desperately gasped for air.

It was pathetic.

The boy's body was covered in second- and third-degree burns, and he probably had broken bones piercing his organs causing internal bleeding. He was not going to last much longer.

_Damn it, now I'll have to unleash some of his Hado, but I refuse to be the nurse of this brat again… Well, I suppose this will be his first test. If he goes mad just from this, then he wasn't worth my time to begin with._

With his palm raised, Akuma projected some of his own Hado and sent it towards the suffering boy, enveloping his body for a few seconds. A dark green aura manifested around the boy, who began to convulse and claw at the earth. Foam formed on the boy's mouth, accompanied by guttural noises. Even though his broken bones and burnt flesh were lazily being healed, it was obvious to anyone that the process was awfully painful both physically and mentally.

_Yes. Heal, heal your wounds and achieve your true potential! You survived your first encounter with a deadly shadow, if barely, proving that your body has begun its transformation. Now let's see if you can handle the mental strain that comes with your blessing._

Once fully healed, the boy went limp and his aura disappeared. Akuma noticed he was still breathing, so the only unknown was the boy's mental state.

A whole minute passed.

"Damn it, wake up!"

"M-Mom?! K-Katsu— Kacchan?!"

The boy's eyes opened wide, meeting Akuma's soul-piercing red gaze.

"Wh-Who a-are y-you?! A-And where am I?! What happened to Kacchan?!"

"Shut your mouth brat! Now, sit properly."

"... W-What…?"

"I said. Sit. Properly."

"Guh—!"

The boy felt an immense pressure, a tremendous amount of killing intent directed to him. So he sat on his legs, seiza style, as quickly as humanly possible.

"Now, state the name that was given to you by your father."

"It's I-I-Izu-zuku..."

"Iiizuzuku?"

"N-no… it's Izu-zu-k-ku…"

"Izuzukku?!"

"Uh, n-n-no… it's I-I-I—"

"DAMN RUNT ARE YOU MOCKING ME?! SPEAK CLEARLY!"

"IZUKU! IZUKU MIDORIYA, SIR!"

Akuma gritted his teeth, reining back the thirst for violence growing inside of him that was causing his eye to twitch, but Izuku's constant trembling only fanned the flames of his anger. After a few seconds to regain his composure, Akuma continued.

"Well from now on your name shall be Worm, at least until you prove to me your worth, and you will address me as Shishou or Master, whichever you prefer."

"I, I don't understand… "

"It means you are going to be my apprentice, so rejoice! Barely anyone can claim they have studied under the tutelage of the Supreme Master of the Fist! The only one to ever surpass Heaven! The great Akuma!"

Akuma crossed his arms and puffed his chest out. A faint red aura emanating from his shoulders caused the atmosphere to grow even heavier, as if foretelling the arrival of an imminent calamity.

Despite the exceedingly pretentious introduction, Izuku knew that this man was serious, and that he was extremely dangerous.

Izuku gulped. His instincts told him that resistance would be futile, that if he went against this man, he would know Hell, or worse, he would be brutally murdered on the spot. Yet, there was something that he did not understand (apart from where he was and how he got here). Something that baffled him and that was bothering him to no end.

With sweat rolling down his forehead, Izuku swallowed his fear, if only briefly, and asked:

"E-Excuse me sir, but—"

Akuma gave Izuku a scowl that could kill, causing Izuku to wince.

"I, I mean Master… there's something I don't understand… why? I mean, why me? I am just a weakling. A nobody. A useless, Quirkless—"

Akuma raised his hand, prompting the boy to shut up. Izuku noticed a vein bulging on Akuma's forehead, and dread began to flood his heart.

"If you think that I would be interested in such an insignificant thing, that you only caught my attention thanks to the silver spoon you were or were not born with, then you are far more foolish that I initially thought."

Izuku looked at Akuma with wide eyes. The dread in his heart began to crumble, turning into something much warmer. A feeling Izuku had not felt in what seemed like an eternity.

"Yes, you are weak, and a nobody, and probably unskilled, and pathetic, and a wimp… but you have been blessed with something grand. A power far greater than any of those petty quirks."

Izuku felt a sting on his eyes and tears began leaking down his freckled cheeks. He brought his hands to his chest, shielding his heart which would not be able to handle another disappointment. However, he soon found out that his fears were completely unfounded.

"You got power."

It was hope. An overwhelming feeling of hope that made Izuku feel like his life might be worth living after all. It was so strong that it easily overpowered the sudden feeling of rage, hatred and resentment that had manifested after hearing the oddly familiar words, giving him a slight headache due to the emotional whiplash.

"That said, it's still lying dormant within you, but not for much longer. You most likely aren't aware of its effects, but make no mistake, you are already experiencing them, and there is no going back. Once the Satsui No Hado manifests within someone, that person is forever cursed to either madness, death or to an eternal quest for power. Whether you like it or not, it is your destiny to embrace it, and—"

But Izuku was not paying him any attention. Instead he sobbed and brushed his eyes with his dirt-stained hands.

"I-I am so gl-glad… to, to f-f-finally he-hear th-th-that—"

And then Izuku's vision was darkened by the figure of a wood sole coming towards his face at an unbelievable speed.

With a crunch, the boy's body was launched fifteen meters away, bouncing a couple of times on the dirt before colliding with a tree trunk.

"DON'T YOU EVER INTERRUPT YOUR MASTER, WORM!"

Akuma was fuming. The impudence of this brat to speak without permit demonstrated a lack of discipline that was beyond infuriating. Completely unforgivable. He ground his teeth in his frustration, thinking how he would have to pummel even the most basic of manners into this foolish boy. He then looked at Izuku who laid on the floor like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"AND STOP CRYING, DAMN IT. YOU ARE NOT A BABY ANYMORE!"

And with that, Izuku's rigorous training commenced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I want to begin this author's note by thanking everyone that favorited and followed this story. This is my first fanfic ever, so knowing that there were other people interested in it gave me a lot of motivation.
> 
> I originally wanted this chapter to be much longer, but ultimately decided to cut it around 5k words because I've been neglecting my studies and I didn't want to leave everyone hanging for another month while I focused on college.
> 
> So yea, Akuma and Izuku finally had a conversation, and Izuku is showing the first symptoms of the Satsui No Hado awakening within him. I feel like this chapter focused mostly on psychological pain, though Izuku wasn't battered maybe a tad bit too much, so sorry (not sorry) if it was too much.
> 
> Also, I wasn't expecting to write a some-what wholesome Akuma when I first began writing this. Don't worry, he's still a jerk and painfully honest, and as you'll see next chapter he is a terrible teacher.
> 
> That's it for now, the next chapter will probably come next month, and it will focus on Izuku's painful physical training and more Hado corruption. I hope everyone has a happy holidays.
> 
> Cheers! And remember…
> 
> 滅METSU! 滅


	3. Learning the Meaning of Pain, Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: there is body horror in this chapter.
> 
> Something weird is going on inside Izuku's mind, Akuma gives him a wake-up call and he tries to use the Hado for the first time. Pain ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN1: Thanks everyone for your patience, I'll have more details about the delay at the bottom of the chapter.

"Don't worry, I am just hijacking your body! Calm down, it will only hurt for about… 45 seconds, tops! Then it will be all over!"

"NGGH UGH—!"

A man made out of dark green and brown goo held Izuku in a gut-wrenching embrace. The villain had come out of a nearby manhole and assaulted Izuku from behind, his body still carried residue from the black waters of the sewers. With a hideous expression, twisted beyond one would normally consider human by the effects of his own quirk, the villain forced himself down Izuku's throat through the mouth and nostrils.

"MMPHF! NHG MMF?!

"Such moving words… you are my hero, you know? Thanks to your sacrifice I'll be able to get away from _him_! So, from now on I'll be your number one fan! Please continue to— HEY STOP IT!"

Izuku was fighting tooth and claw against his capturer, digging through the villain's repugnant body with both hands as the desire for self-preservation strained his underdeveloped musculature beyond its limits. An admirable effort, but ultimately futile.

"Stupid brat, it seems you are as dumb as you are plain! There is no point in trying, I am literally fluid! It's useless, stop squirming so much damn it!"

The villain protested, but mostly out of annoyance. The boy's struggle was pointless, he was going to die sooner or later, might as well just do it quickly so his death was not in vain. In his frustration the villain increased the pressure on Izuku, forcibly holding the boy's limbs down in an unnatural way. A muffled cry of pain bubbled within the disgusting sludge, an opportunity the sadistic monster would certainly take as he began pushing his liquid body inside Izuku with renovated lethality.

A banquet of foul flavors and putrid smells was taking place inside Izuku's mouth, throat and stomach. The poor boy could do nothing but watch in horror as the liquid waltz permanently ruined his insides. He was powerless, the villain's viscous body would effortlessly flow in between his fingers, preventing him from getting a firm grip on his attacker to shake him off. However, It was a flawed plan to begin with, one born from fear and despair, as even if Izuku had managed to keep a grab on the villain, he lacked the physical strength to pull him away. His almost dislocated arms had been the final nail in the coffin of Izuku's flimsy fighting spirit, which now laid six feet under.

_I can't breathe! My body… my mind… is getting... weak… am I… am I dying? I'm dying! Someone… please… I… can't..._

But despite Izuku's desperate pleas, nobody came.

Where were all the heroes he admired, those shields of justice that swore to protect the weak like him? Why was there no one to stop this villain even though there was a surplus of heroes due to the decreasing crime rate? What about the police or even a civilian with a Quirk? At this point, Izuku would gladly take any kind of help available. What the hell was everyone doing? A villain was going to kill him! And in broad daylight, for goodness sake! Was he really so plain, so unremarkable, so unimportant that nobody would notice him even when he was about to be murdered?

"Yeah, easy there, kid. See? I told you it was gonna be painless after a while!"

The sludge villain snickered, most of his body was already hiding inside Izuku, causing the boy's torso to bloat a bit due to the invading fluid. After a few dreadful seconds, only the villain's jagged maw and yellowy eyes remained outside, covering Izuku's face like a mask. The gruesome process was almost done, but the final step was by far the most macabre.

"Now, you don't mind if I get rid of those useless eyeballs, right? After all they are only taking up space and I can't see when I am hiding inside some—"

The villain froze after his eyes spun around to begin the unspeakable deed. The boy's eyes were glowing like twin emerald suns, and what was once a look of anguish and despair had been replaced by a soul-piercing glare that burned with palpable hatred. Such a drastic change of attitude caused the seeds of doubt and fear to sprout inside the villain, but with a smirk he regained his smug demeanor, deluding himself with a false sense of dominance.

"H-Hey, hey! Don't go around giving me them nasty looks, kid! Y-You are gonna end up making your number one fan hate you!"

A forceful whirlwind began swirling inside Izuku. The villain was trying to knock him out with excruciating pain by twisting and twirling his entrails, a tactic that had proved to be highly effective in the past. However, instead of pacifying his soon-to-be new puppet, it only served to fan the flames of the terrible power that lay dormant deep within Izuku.

Izuku suddenly shoved his head forward with a bite, taking into his mouth as much as he could of what remained of the villain. A yelp escaped from the shocked villain, still dumbfounded that his fatal attack had been ineffective.

"W-What the hell do you think you are doing?!"

Did the kid have some kind of digestive Quirk? Had the previous struggle, cries and tears all been just an act to make him drop his guard and lure him into a deadly trap? Whatever it was, he had to get the hell out of this brat.

The temperature hiked, and the villain's sludge body began to simmer and bubble. Realization struck. Somehow, like a kettle made of flesh, the boy was going to boil him alive. The tables had turned, and the villain began to flail wildly inside the burning hell, using all his strength to force his way out of the boy's throat.

"WHAT THE FUCK KID?! YOU ARE SICK, LET ME GO!"

With muffled cries, the slime began to leak through the small gaps between Izuku's teeth, but before he could raise his hands and seal his mouth, a torrent of slime came pouring out with great force, busting out several of Izuku's front teeth in the process.

The villain cursed as he attempted to stabilize his boiling form. His viscous body simmered all over, emanating brown and green smoke of fetid smell. He had been ridiculed by a wimpy teen, his pride as a D rank villain had been shattered. He would not be able to face his partners in crime if they found out that a teenager had made a fool out of him.

Fueled by vengeful wrath, the sludge villain turned around to charge against the boy like a bloodthirsty beast, but what he saw was not the frightened child he had initially attacked.

What stood there was not human. That wrathful grimace, that piercing emerald glare, that blood-dripping jaw bearing broken teeth, that killing intent that presaged imminent doom and destruction; none of that could possibly belong to a mere human, let alone a child.

A hunter green aura flared above the creature's shoulders, scorching the concrete ceiling of the tunnel. The creature brought both hands close together to its side, forming a small cage with his fingers. A small dot, about the same size as a marble made of white-emerald energy, bounced and ricocheted within the hand cage, inflicting multiple burns on its palms and revealing the unstable nature of the creature's power.

The green demon gave a twisted smile, impaling the sludge villain in place with pure killing intent. The villain's body wobbled and trembled, his previous arrogance had been banished by a far more terrifying presence. A pair of thoughts wrestled for control inside his mind: to drop down and beg for forgiveness or to make a mad sprint away from certain death. Unfortunately for him, both options seemed equally hopeless, and his mind wasted the few invaluable seconds without being able to decide.

"Die!" Roared the demon, spewing blood that stained the pavement as it thrusted its palms forward, shooting the marble of destruction towards the paralyzed villain.

But before the orb could obliterate its target, a boisterous voice echoed from within the nearby manhole.

"FEAR NOT, KID! FOR I AM HERE!"

A blond giant sporting a confident smile came rushing out of the sewer, his sky-blue eyes beamed against the backdrop of the shadows cast down upon his face. The man pulled his mighty arm back and, with a battle cry, produced a powerful gust that could rival a wind tunnel through the sheer force of his punch.

"TEXAS SMASH!"

The white-emerald orb was swallowed by the enraged winds, dissipating into nothingness just centimeters away from the sludge villain's eyes. Succinct relief washed over the villain, until he got hit by the air blast that burst his body into countless pieces.

Izuku admired in awe, his overwhelming rage had turned into deep respect and admiration so quickly his mind did not manage to process the fact that he had almost committed a crime. His greatest idol had effortlessly neutralized the villain he had battled with for his dear life. Izuku's eyes returned to their normal green color, focusing on burning the shining image of All Might's confident visage into his memory. His murderous intent and aura had vanished, leaving only the blackened ceiling of the tunnel as the only proof of their past existence.

Contrary to his current appearance, Izuku was not feeling any pain, despite the fact he was probably suffering from severe internal damage. Whatever the reason was, he would worry about it later, right now All Might was in front of him and Izuku's heart had a question that had to be answered.

"NEVER FEAR, CITIZEN! FOR I AM HERE!"

All Might gave him a thumbs up and Izuku could swear he saw All Might's smile gleam as he did so. This man was the perfect hero, a paragon among mere mortals that embodied righteousness, self-sacrifice and hope. Surely he would give the much needed encouragement Izuku's dream craved.

Izuku gathered his courage with a deep breath, he had to psych himself up in order to push away his inner fanboy or else the conversation would be doomed to be awkward. The number one hero's time was invaluable, and Izuku would not be able to forgive himself if he wasted the opportunity.

Yet, even after such a deep breath, his lungs still hungered for air.

"HAHAHA! NEVER FEAR, KID! FOR I AM HERE! HAHAHA!"

The air became heavy, crushing Izuku like the tide and choking the words in his throat. Panic surged within Izuku, who brought his hands towards his chest and throat. He could still breathe, but no matter how much air he inhaled, the burning ache in his lungs kept its irrepressible growth, unaffected.

Izuku raised his sight towards All Might, hoping his saviour would notice that something was amiss with him and figure out the solution. But what Izuku saw shook him to his very core.

With a lifted chin and a narrow glare, All Might stood tall in front of Izuku, darkening the gasping boy with his broad shadow. His visage, twisted by a mocking smile, was fighting a losing battle to contain a snicker that exposed the sadistic glee swelling within him.

"HAHAHA! F-FEAR— HA! NOT, KID! HAHAHA! FOR I— HAHAHAHA!"

Izuku's face and lips had turned a faint shade of blue when his legs wobbled and dropped him onto the pavement, causing All Might's derisive laughter to turn hysterical. It was as if all the oxygen in the surrounding air had disappeared in an instant. Izuku began crawling towards All Might's feet as his mind strived in vain to make sense of the baffling scene.

"All… Mi… ple… hel…"

Izuku reached out for All Might who suddenly went silent. Perhaps the Symbol of Peace had finally understood the situation?

All Might kicked Izuku's extended hand to the side, causing the teen to fall flat on his face. But before Izuku could recuperate from the shock, All Might's giant hand grabbed his green hair and pulled him up to his eye level. The unusual feeling of being weightless was soon surpassed by the searing pain on Izuku's scalp, but the boy's lungs had shriveled to the point he could not let out even the slightest of complaints.

"Look at me, boy." All Might demanded in an uncharacteristic serious tone, bringing Izuku closer to his face. Frowning blue eyes met glassy green ones.

"There is nothing you have to worry about. For as long as I am here there is nothing you have to fear. Just accept it already."

And with that, All Might's grip loosened and Izuku came crashing down towards the concrete floor. But instead of feeling the pain of the impact, a cold, refreshing feeling spread across Izuku's body. For a brief instant, Izuku's lungs cheered with joy as they were filled with the life-giving oxygen, but then a stabbing pain hit his throat and chest.

In mere seconds his mind had arrived at the right conclusion, mostly thanks to one of humanity's primal survival instincts that had developed through millennia rather than a feat of his analytical mind.

He was underwater.

The coldness, the viscosity and the weightlessness all resembled the feeling of being underwater, like when diving in a pool. Izuku squirmed around as he instinctively tried to locate the surface. In a couple of seconds he noticed a bright light wavering in the distance, and after understanding its nature, he swam towards it.

"Ghuaaah!" Gasped Izuku as he finally reached the surface, bathing his face in the warm daylight of spring. Izuku took a moment to cough and steady his breathing, and once calmed down he inspected his surroundings. He was floating in the middle of a peaceful river of about 10 meters wide that seemed to split the forest in half. The riverbank was composed mostly of tiny pebbles and a few large boulders with some plants growing between them.

"J-Just what the he— just what was that? A dream?"

While Izuku tried to make sense of both his dream and his current situation, he remembered his past interaction with that scary old man, and as if on cue he felt a murderous glare piercing the back of his head. The phantom pain set off all the alarms of his sense of self-preservation, halting his train of thought instantaneously. Izuku's body broke into a cold sweat and time slowed down, turning seconds into minutes. Yet his subconsciousness understood that even if he had all the time in the world to come up with a plan to escape, his fate would ultimately be decided by the whims of the overwhelming presence.

With an annoyed grunt, Izuku's sense of self was brought back as he noticed the familiarity of the crushing feeling. He slowly turned around and his eyes met Akuma's. There stood his self-proclaimed new master on the riverbank with his arms crossed. Their previous interaction, still fresh within Izuku's mind, caused him to flinch in fear at the sight of the scowling man.

"Wash yourself Worm, you are filthy… and meet me down the river once you are finished."

Akuma paused for a few seconds, letting Izuku's mind attempt to piece together whatever hidden meaning the simple order could have had.

"Oh, also don't you dare do something as foolish as trying to run away."

And after saying that, Akuma throwed a stained piece of cloth — a makeshift towel towards Izuku. He then turned around and left into the thick forest, leaving behind a spare change of clothes on top of a flat boulder.

Izuku was still mortally afraid of the man, but he decided to follow his instructions for the time being as he still lacked too much information. There were far too many things he did not understand: the dreams, the shadows, this Hado thing, where he was and how long had he been there. He needed answers, but unfortunately the only person that seemed capable of providing them was a complete sociopath.

Did he not say something about a transformation? What was he even talking about when he told him that there was power dormant within him? Was he perhaps some kind of con artist? No, if he wanted money, he could have just taken anything he wanted after knocking him out.

This Akuma was a total mystery to Izuku, but if anything, he could tell that he was not a hero or villain, at least not a notorious or well-known one within Japan.

Izuku's mumbles were interrupted by the sudden thought of angering Akuma if he took too long, so he began cleaning himself in a hurry with the almost crystalline water of the river, scrubbing away the leaves and goo off of his skin. After tearing apart the improvised splint encasing his hand, Izuku could not help but wonder what kind of injury that required it would heal so quickly… unless he had been sleeping for months without realizing?

Izuku shook his head, scrapping the ridiculous idea and deciding to focus on the task at hand. As he cleaned his body, he mused about that oddly familiar dream and everything he remembered so far. He remembered the storm, walking through the beach and the massive wave crashing down on him. But he could not remember the reason. Why had he done all that? He had dealt with harmful thoughts in the past, but he had never tried to end it all before. What happened? What had been so bad that pushed him into even trying?

A faint headache began aching at the back of Izuku's skull, there was something his mind had blocked, something important, something that would allow him to make sense of everything, something locked deep within his subconsciousness that yearned to be set free and wreak havoc. Izuku grabbed his head, the headache was now throbbing, turning even the slightest thought into a grueling experience.

_What, what the hell is happening to me? My head… it's going to explode!_

Like a collapsing dam, the memories of that day flooded Izuku's mind: his classmates laughing at his dream, the teachers turning a blind eye, Katsuki telling him to jump off the roof, the sludge villain trying to hijack his body, All Might saving him and the dream crushing conversation they had after.

He remembered everything, and all the shame, all the anger and all the despair collected over ten years began to take over his mind, body and soul.

Veins began to bulge on Izuku's forehead, and his visage turned into a teeth-bearing scowl. His increasing grip on his hair caused Izuku to accidentally tear away small chunks of green hair that were carried away by the river's weak current.

_Why… just why? Why can't I be a hero? I just… I just want to save… to help others… is that such a bad thing?!_

Why was everyone so against this poor boy's dream? Just because he had been unlucky in the life lottery? Izuku had spent so much time researching ways to overcome his nature that one could say he had thrown away his entire childhood in order to follow a selfless dream, and what had the world given him in return? An insult, a smack on the head and a spit on the face. A kind boy whose only desire in life was to instill in others the same hope he had once felt so long ago while rewatching those heroic videos, had been shunned and ridiculed by the same people he once wished to protect.

A faint hunter green aura began to flicker around Izuku's body.

_All Might… Katsuki… you… you think you are better than everyone else? Just because you have a good quirk?! JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT LUCKY?!_

Shame, a complete and total embarrassment. Izuku felt like a fool for ever asking All Might such a question. That stupid dream, that childish naivety of his, he despised all of it. He hated himself for his own powerlessness, and cursed every deity he could think of for this fate. Even if he had gotten a weak Quirk, he would have spent countless hours trying to come up with the most creative applications. He would have been content as long as he could help others, as a Quirkless boy he had already given up on the idea of ever becoming someone as grand as All Might, he would be perfectly fine on being an unorthodox hero, as long as it meant he could pursue his dreams.

But nobody believed in him, not even the people that should have supported him the most: his parents.

The dark aura blazed over the tree line, causing the water surrounding Izuku to begin seething. Rage and resentment were corrupting every single one of Izuku's memories and thoughts, he would soon turn into a mindless berserker with only hatred and destruction in mind, an unrecognizable shell of the former meek boy.

But then the corruption reached a particular memory.

A long-forgotten recollection of him, probably as a 3 or 4-years-old, from before learning of his Quirkless status. He was wearing a onesie modeled after that smiling buffoon's hero suit, storming around the house, looking for his mother, and cheerfully announcing his "heroic" arrival whenever he opened a door. They were playing an innocent game of hero make-believe. The look on Izuku's mother, that warm smile and eyes full of care she gave him whenever he came rushing to her rescue, told Izuku that there was a time that his mother truly believed in his dream.

_I am sorry Izuku! I am sorry! I am sorry!_

The warm image was shattered by the mournful cries of his mother after receiving the news that sorrowful day. She was apologizing with eyes full of tears, as if begging for forgiveness after committing the most atrocious of sins.

Izuku's aura gradually diminished until it was extinguished, calming him down while the river's weak current cooled down the water surrounding him. He would never blame his mother for his Quirkless condition, she was possibly the only person in the entire world that loved him for who he was. Despite all the trouble and stress he caused her, Izuku knew she still loved him unconditionally.

"She must be worried sick… sorry mom, I promise I'll bring back that hope you had in me."

Izuku's hands dropped into the water, causing weak ripples to expand through the calm river. He shifted his sight downwards, looking at his swollen face barely reflected on the almost crystalline waters. He had a bruise in the shape of a foot sole over his left eye. The words of that brutish man who had restored his hope just moments ago echoed in his head.

_You got power._

That man, Akuma, believed he had the potential, that his dream might not be in vain as long as he dedicated himself to master this power. Who was this monster of a man, why was he so interested in helping him, why this power had manifested within him and where it came from was irrelevant to Izuku, for as long as he managed to control it and make it truly his, he would be able to carve a path towards his dream and help others.

After finishing cleaning and drying himself with the coarse fabric, Izuku inspected the set of clothes left behind by Akuma. There was a sleeveless brown gi with matching trousers, both of much bigger size than what Izuku usually wore. They came with a rope which Izuku assumed was to be used as an improvised belt. Finally there was a pair of wood sole sandals that surprisingly fit his feet perfectly. Needless to say, Izuku had discarded his boxers, as they were far too torn and dirty to wear anymore, plus looking at the initials A.M. reminded him of that bitter conversation.

With a slight headache, Izuku followed Akuma's directions and began walking along the riverside. He now somewhat understood all those weird dreams, it must have been his subconsciousness' way of coping with such a shitty series of events. However, he could not understand what was that power he had used against the sludge villain during that nightmare. Izuku had a hunch that Akuma knew the answer, so he made a mental note to ask him about it later… after he gathered the courage to do so, that is.

As Izuku made his way, a feeling of shame and anger began crawling up his back. How could he have gone and tried to kill himself? What would have happened to his mother if he was truly dead? She would have certainly blamed herself for everything, just like she had done in the past.

After his father left for that "job" overseas so many years ago, Izuku adopted the role of the man of the house, supporting his mother whenever she was feeling down. Although Izuku always tried his best, there were days where nothing could cheer his mother up, resulting in her swallowing her grief with junk food, and in rare cases with alcohol. Though Izuku's hope had been reinvigorated thanks to Akuma, for him it was trivial when compared to his mother's well-being. His mom must be worried sick and even though he was as curious as he was scared about all this Hado stuff, Izuku had to make sure his mother was fine first.

His musings were interrupted when he spotted Akuma meditating on top of a rock near the shore. The bruise on Izuku's face began to swell, and his instinct raised every danger alarm possible, preventing him from taking even a single step back or forward. Izuku gritted his teeth slightly, no matter how many times he experienced this crushing aura, his body was not able to manage the overwhelming pressure and he would paralyze on the spot. His knees began to weaken as shivers travelled through his flesh, but before Izuku's legs could fail him, Akuma spoke.

* * *

_Just how long is this brat going to take? All he has to do is wipe his damn_ —

Akuma's inner complaints were interrupted by the almost inaudible sound of steps coming his way far in the distance, followed by the appearance of a very weak Hado presence.

"Hmph." With a grunt, Akuma decided to keep meditating while he waited for Izuku to arrive. Wasting one's own time was a sign of a lack of discipline, and even though succumbing to old age was no longer something he had to worry about, Akuma would never rest in his laurens. He would always use every chance he could get to improve himself, to the point one could say his dedication had turned into obsession.

It took Izuku around 20 minutes to finally arrive. Just why was this brat so slow? He clearly did not understand his current situation, otherwise he would have rushed at the opportunity to be trained by him.

_Whatever, I suppose I'll have to motivate him a bit._

Akuma felt Izuku's presence barely standing 10 meters behind him. Despite not looking at him directly, he was fully capable of sensing Izuku's fear and could even make out the involuntary reactions it had on the boy's body.

There was a long road ahead of them.

"Sit properly Worm." Akuma instructed, and as if breaking off of a trance, Izuku followed suit.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Akuma continued:

"So, does it hurt?"

"... Huh?"

"Your face Worm."

"O-Oh! I… u-uhm… maybe, j-just a bit?"

"Then get used to it, after we are done that black eye will feel like a mosquito bite in comparison." Akuma paused, giving Izuku time to come up with his own conclusions. "Never interrupt your Master when he is imparting you his wisdom. Understood?"

"Y-Yes…"

"'Yes' what?"

"Yes Master…"

_Hmph... Acceptable, but his utter lack of guts is going to be a problem._

"Now, tell me what you remember from our conversation."

Izuku took a few seconds to connect his thoughts, mumbling in a way not even Akuma with his incredible sense of hearing could comprehend. After about thirty seconds, which was as much time Akuma could possibly give him before running out of patience and smack him on the head, Izuku gave him an answer:

"Uhm… that I have power, something about the Hado, and that it is… sleeping… within me… I think? And something about a transformation? Master, m-may I ask what was that… all… about?"

A vein popped on Akuma's forehead as he remembered the scene from a while ago. Considering he knocked the brat out cold with a kick to the head, to expect him to remember everything would be foolish. Whether he liked it or not, he would have to explain everything about the Hado again.

_Whatever, it can't be helped. If this brat is to become my new apprentice then his lack of discipline has to be corrected… plus the sooner he understands his place the better._

After repressing his anger, Akuma turned around towards Izuku and began his explanation about the unholy power that lay within them. He explained that the Satsui No Hado was also known as the Surge of Murderous Intent or simply Dark Hado, and that it was an ancient form of ki that represented a person's desire to survive, surpass and impose over those who oppose them. He also explained that the Hado manifested only on people that have been consumed by their desire for victory and perfection, were close to death, or that possessed so much anger and hatred that were willing to push every other emotion aside except for their desire for violence.

Akuma noticed that the expression in Izuku's face was slowly showing traces of curiosity and concern instead of just pure fear. Though he was not the most sociable person by any stretch of the word, Akuma was very skilled at figuring out other people's thoughts and emotions based on their body language, tone of their voice and even their way of breathing and blinking. It was a very practical skill for a fighter, though it had the disadvantage that it could trivialize what otherwise would be hard fought battles.

Sensing that the boy was about to ask something irrelevant, Akuma decided to make a question of his own.

"So, which one are you?"

"E-Eh? P-Pardon Master?" Izuku was caught off guard by the sudden question.

"Which type of person are you? Do you strive for victory and perfection? Or perhaps you have finally had enough and wish to enact revenge on someone?"

"E-Eh, uhm, well… no, I-I think I am the second type, Master… I-I mean, I was swallowed by the sea during a storm when I wasn't really right emotionally speaking. Though I must admit I have dealt with nasty thoughts in the past, I have always been able to keep going just fine and without any incidents like this one. In fact, that was the first time I acted so strangely, but I think it must have been a consequence of receiving such a big shock from… that aside, I don't exactly know how I got out of the ocean, but considering I had so many patches over my body, and if my memories of that day are correct, that storm must have took quite a toll on me. I am also unsure how long I was unconscious or how long I spent inside the sea, but I think my survival instinct must have pushed my body to the limit. Perhaps it also unlocked the Hado? I have never been in such a life or death situation before… Wait, never mind, that encounter with the sludge villain happened that very same day if I remember correctly. Why the Hado didn't unlock back then? Maybe…"

Akuma's eye began to twitch as Izuku continued his never endless mumbling. Unfortunately for Izuku, he was so focused on his train of thought he did not notice the scowl that was forming on his Master's face. After a whole minute of unintelligible muttering, Akuma stood up, and with a blood-red glare that could kill he yelled:

"SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU ARE DAMN ANNOYING!"

"HIIII! Y-Y-Y-ES! I-I-I-I— !"

"Shut. Up."

A panicking Izuku shut his mouth so quickly he accidentally bit his tongue, causing him to quietly groan in pain.

Akuma rubbed his temples with his hand, trying to calm the monster within him that demanded he crushed the boy right there and then. After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, Akuma spoke once again:

"When I ask you something, keep it to thirty— no, keep it to twenty words or less. In fact that's going to be the first rule. If you ever waste my time again with such unintelligible nonsense I swear upon Hell, Heaven and Earth that you will wish you had died inside that storm! Understood?!"

"..." Izuku just sat there, his whole body trembling as every fiber of his being told him to make a run for it. The crushing aura of Akuma prevented him from mustering even a simple response.

"WELL?!"

For a succinct instant an emerald light gleamed in Izuku's eyes, causing Akuma to raise an eyebrow, then he got an answer:

"Yes… Master."

This brat was certainly interesting. He was weak and pathetic both inside and outside, yet Akuma could sense a bottomless pit of untapped potential within him. He would turn into a great adversary in the future as long as he was properly guided.

Akuma smirked. He did not really care how or why this brat had such a huge amount of Hado at his disposal, and he could not care less about what Izuku thought of it. All that mattered to him was that Izuku did not waste his potential, unlike that other disappointing youngling from so many decades ago.

After acknowledging Izuku's answer, Akuma continued his lecture. He told Izuku that the Satsui no Hado could only be wielded safely by those who were willing to push themselves beyond their limits in order to achieve nothing short of pure perfection, no matter the cost.

"Once the Satsui no Hado manifests within a person, their fate is sealed. The process can't be stopped by any means," this was a bluff, Akuma was perfectly knowledgeable about the Dark Hado's counterpart but he highly doubted that Izuku knew anything about it, "and your body, soul and will will be put to the ultimate test until your final day."

Izuku gulped audibly, nervous of the eerie implications of what Akuma had just told him, but his Master cared little about it.

"From this point onwards you'll have to develop an iron will if you wish to retain any semblance of sanity. Those of weak spirit and feeble mind are doomed to be overwhelmed by the Hado, turning themselves into creatures of aimless destruction and meaningless violence. I have seen the process take place many times in my life, and it always starts with weird dreams and hallucinations. There is also the random shifts of emotions and finally the manifestation of shadows, demons from your own past that seek to destroy you."

Izuku raised his hand, pleasing Akuma for a brief moment. It appeared that the boy was learning proper manners, if ever so slowly.

"Speak Worm."

"Master, " began Izuku, much more composed than earlier, though he still could not masquerade the soft quaking on his voice, "was that fight with Katsu— that fight with Kacchan, was that one of those 'shadow' encounters?"

"Hmph, at least you catch up quickly. Yes, that was indeed your first fight with a shadow, and I have to say you did a rather awful job defending yourself."

Akuma crossed his arms and he glared down upon Izuku, but the boy simply lowered his sight. Disappointment, and a tinge of anger, were clear in his expression. To most people, the sight of such a pitiful boy would have sprung emotions of protection and care within them, but to Akuma it had the complete opposite effect.

"Raise your head Worm!" Spat Akuma with vivid anger. "There is no use in lamenting about the past, for as long as you are alive you must push forward! You now understand just how weak you are, but at the same time you have been given a choice! You can either stay down and cry until the dirt turns into mud, or you can raise your head and train until your fists are red with your blood!"

Izuku flinched at the sudden outburst of his Master, his unpredictability still put him on the edge. His Master's words were hard, but at the same time full of encouragement. How come the only person that believed in him was a sociopath? The world sure was a strange place.

"Worm, you have a tremendous amount of Hado within you, despite your young age and lack of experience in combat. It's impressive, to say the least, which is why I wish to train you, so that one day you can reach your true potential."

"Master, d-do you really think so? Do you really think I can one day become strong?"

_Heh, you might even have the potential to surpass me, but that remains to be seen._

"Perhaps, but the road to true strength is a treacherous one. You will experience both pain and fear beyond your comprehension. Every minute of every day will be a test to withstand Hell itself, but if you succeed then you'll acquire more power than you could ever dream for."

Izuku seemed hesitant, doubt and suspicion were present in his expression. Could he truly trust the words of this man? There was something dubious about the whole ordeal. All this did not go unseen by Akuma, who was about to push his case until an emerald gleam flared within Izuku's eyes for a brief second, causing him to clench his fists and frown. Then something happened that caught even Akuma off guard: Izuku bowed, or more precisely, he prostrated.

"Please Master, teach me what it means to be strong." said Izuku with his forehead touching the ground.

_Interesting… Truly most interesting…_

Akuma narrowed his eyes at the pathetic sight. He could not help but feel a bit of anger but it was nothing compared to the strange feeling of satisfaction he felt ever so rarely.

"Raise your head Worm." Commanded Akuma in a dignified tone. "Don't you remember? I already told you I would take you as my apprentice. I hate to repeat myself, so make sure you commit my words to memory from now on. Understood?"

"Yes, Master."

"Now tell me about your life before coming here, there is something I wish to confirm."

"M-My life?"

"Yes… is it too much to ask?"

"O-Of course not! W-well, where to begin…"

Akuma raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of attitude. It seemed like this brat was not fully aware of it yet, but the Hado was slowly overriding his meek personality.

_Well, there is no real reason to let him know such an irrelevant detail. It's not like he could stop it even if he wanted to anyways._

Akuma smiled in his mind, pleased that the Satsui no Hado seemed to be working with him and would facilitate the brat's awakening.

Izuku explained that ever since he had memory he dreamed of being a hero, to be someone who could inspire, save and protect everyone who was in need of it. Unfortunately for him, he was diagnosed as Quirkless at the age of four, shattering his dream to pieces. Izuku admitted he cried his eyes out for weeks after receiving the news, but in the end decided to pursue his dream even if it was nearly impossible to accomplish. However, this dream caused him a great deal of trouble over the years, as many of his classmates made it their personal hobby to bully, belittle and scorn him for it.

"No one believes I can achieve my dream, not even my mother or All Might… b-but I'll prove them wrong Master! I-I'll become strong and help many— M-M-MASTER?!"

Akuma could not help but feel his rage rise after hearing the name of the number one hero of Japan being mentioned.

"That damn, carefree bastard… that coward… THAT FRAUD!" Akuma yelled with bloodshot eyes, unable to contain his blood-red aura from flaring above his shoulder. After a few seconds of impending doom, Akuma managed to rein back his wrath and looked down upon a prostrating Izuku. A small pool of blood had formed around the brat's head, he had slammed his head against the ground in a hurry to apologize.

Akuma pinched the bridge of his nose and grunted in annoyance.

_This brat is still far too foolish and naive. How can't he see the irony behind it? How is he so blind to the truth of this world? His wish is a complete oxymoron… but at least it can still prove to be useful as a source of motivation…_

Akuma let out a deep sight, wishing that the Hado hurried up and finished spreading its roots so that the boy's mind finally came to the ultimate truth and accepted the nature of the world. So what if it came at the price of one's humanity? Turning into a demon? A cheap price that one must be ready to pay tenth-fold if one sought to reach the pinnacle of one's own potential.

"Stop doing that already, have some pride Worm…" Akuma ordered the still prostrating Izuku who slowly complied. The rocky riverside had caused multiple lacerations over his forehead, tinting the boy's face with thin strays of red.

"I hate wasting time so I'll be straightforward. I think your dream is foolish, and that your way of thinking is naive. I also share the same sentiment as that… All Might." Akuma almost spat the name of the Symbol of Peace. "You lack strength, even a blind man can see that, yet from what I can see you have known that for many years now. I ask you then, what the hell have you been doing?"

"Eh? W-Wha— ?"

"I said, what the hell have you been doing all these years? You lack strength. I know it, you know it, even your own mother knows it. So why are you still so weak? If you wanted to become a 'hero,' why do you still act like a newborn? If you wanted to 'protect' others, why do you still curl up in pain at the first hit? If you wanted to 'inspire' others, why do you still cower down in fear?"

Izuku was mortified, he could not think of a comeback to Akuma's unrelenting words, not just because of the fear he had towards the man, but because he knew that Akuma was telling the truth. All he could do was lower his sight and hold back the tears that threatened to leak from the corners of his eyes. At the boy's pitiful sight, Akuma dropped down from the flat boulder he had been standing on and began walking towards the trembling Izuku.

"Shall I tell you what I think? I think you were hoping that if you prayed hard enough, someday, somehow, fate would take pity on you and a Quirk would miraculously land on your lap. You knew you were at a disadvantage, but instead of overcoming your weakness by pushing your body to its absolute limit like a 'hero' should, you decided to fill your brain with pointless knowledge and trivia, thinking that you could close the gap with pure theory."

Izuku clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.

"Here is another piece of knowledge to add into your books Worm, though it's mostly common sense: you can be the smartest person between Heaven and Hell, you can know every strength and weakness of everyone you might face, you can plan the best solution to any problem you might encounter, but with such a weak body a single blow will still turn your brain into a bloody pulp. With such weakness you will always depend on the whims of the strong, no matter how smart you think you are."

Izuku began grinding his teeth and veins began to pop on his forehead.

"And the only person you can blame for your pathetic life is yourself." Akuma pointed at Izuku. "You and you alone are responsible for your lack of strength. So what if you weren't blessed with power at birth? The moment you learnt about your weakness was the moment you should have strived for improvement, working yourself to the limit until you were no longer weak and then surpass that limit even further."

Akuma crouched until he was just a few centimeters above Izuku's eye level.

"Everything you have suffered so far, is your own damn fault, and the sooner you—"

Akuma was interrupted by a sudden explosion of hunter green Hado suring from Izuku like a pillar of flames, but the demon simply smiled widely and continued:

"... the sooner you realize it, the sooner you can work to prevent a similar future from ever happening. I said it already," Akuma stood up and raised his arms wide, tinted by the green light of Izuku's raging aura, "If you are weak, then seek strength! Strength is the ultimate truth! Those who are strong can make not only their own destiny, but shape the destiny of others too! Once you are powerful you can not only decide how you wish to live, but also crush those who seek to destroy your way of living."

Izuku's Hado began to recede, it appeared that Akuma's words had reached deep within him.

"The power to decide, the power to bring hell to those who oppose you, the power to surpass even the fate designated to you by the Gods themselves. That is the power that the Satsui no Hado promises to those who follow its path, and that is the power that I shall help cultivate within you, that is if you are up to the challenge."

Izuku's aura had extinguished, but the faint emerald glow in his eyes showed that he was still under the dark influence of the Hado. After a few seconds, he lowered his head until his forehead touched the ground.

"Oh great master, I seek your wisdom. Please teach this weakling your ways, so that I can achieve true strength."

_Excellent, truly excellent._

"Hmph, fine, I accept your pitiful request. However, I have a few rules you must absolutely follow. If you dare break any of them, even accidentally, I'll break your bones as punishment. Do you understand?"

"Yes Master." replied Izuku in a neutral tone, his forehead still touching the ground.

"Good. You already know the first rule, I hate wasting my time so make sure to keep your answers short. The second rule: never question my methods, you will obey my instructions to the letter and never complain. Third rule: you will always show the utmost respect to your master, and will never speak unless addressed to. Fourth rule: you will continue to show progress and never settle with achieving the bare minimum. If I tell you to cut down a tree, I expect you to be able to cut an entire forest by the end. Fifth rule: you will never EVER interrupt my training. After giving you instructions I'll depart to focus on my own training, and you will never seek me out even if your life depends on it. If you break this rule, I won't just break your bones, instead I'll murder you on the spot. Understand?"

"Yes Master."

"Good, then the final and arguably the most important rule: you will cease being a crybaby from this point onward, a warrior has no use for tears and self-pity. If I ever see or hear you cry again, then I swear upon Hell, Heaven and Earth that I'll gouge out your eyes and cut off your tongue."

"I understand, Master."

"Perfect, then your training has officially started. I, Akuma, Supreme Master of the Fist, Master of both the Ansatsuken and the Satsui no Hado, shall teach you the true meaning of pain!" Akuma yelled with evident excitement, it had been years since the last time he looked forward to the future with unhinged glee. Nothing could possibly ruin this moment for him.

"I am deeply grateful, Master. I'll strive to live up to your expectations... a-a-and h-help every o-one in n-need…"

"... What?"

"..."

Time froze for what seemed like an entire minute until a howling wind gust broke the awkward silence. With bloodshot eyes, Akuma rushed towards the still prostrating Izuku and grabbed him by the hair, forcing the boy to look him into his eyes. The emerald gleam had vanished, and all that was left was the terrified look of an insecure wimp on the verge of tears.

_GRRRUUURGHHH_

And to make matters worse, Izuku's stomach decided that now was the best time to let the world know of his growing hunger.

Akuma let go of Izuku's hair who immediately began apologizing frantically, but Akuma simply turned around and began walking away from the river. Once he was about twenty meters away from the water, he turned towards the river as he assumed a fighting stance.

Izuku was lost for words, from the few encounters with Akuma he had already learnt that this man's wrath was boundless and that angering him would most likely lead to ultimate doom. Yet this monster was standing there with an almost neutral expression — no, upon further inspection Izuku noticed the faintest of furrows on his master's face, and he could not help but be more afraid than if his master had been openly furious.

"Pay attention Worm, I'll only do this once." Said Akuma in a cold and serene voice that sent chills down Izuku's spine.

Suddenly, a scowl appeared in Akuma's face, exposing sharp teeth, and a blood-red aura manifested around his body. The calm winds turned into dreadful howling, instilling fear upon the trees that now shook to their very roots. The earth quaked and trembled, causing the nearby critters to flee in desperation to survive. Even the lifeless pebbles that covered the riverside could not withstand the pressure, and they too began to rumble as the demon of a man channeled his terrible power.

Akuma brought his hands to his side, and a white-purple energy began materializing between his palms.

It did not matter how hard he tried, Izuku could not look away. The energy, the power was mesmerizing, like watching a natural catastrophe taking place just a few meters away. All he could do was to stay put and hope that the disaster somehow ignored his presence.

"Fuuuuuuu…" growled Akuma, pouring more power by the second into the purple orb of destruction. However, instead of growing in size the orb was instead gradually shrinking, until it became a tiny dot of light, so bright it could only be described as a miniature purple sun.

With a stomp, Akuma jumped high into the air, and for a brief moment his power eclipsed the sun. "URYAAAAAA!" yelled Akuma as he threw his technique towards the rippling waters, and almost at the same time a massive torrent of water and steam erupted from the once calm river, raining upon the area for several seconds.

Izuku could not believe his eyes, in an instant the river had turned into a bottomless crater that sucked the water in a vortex, the surrounding earth had cracked and ruptured due to the sheer force of the impact. And it all had been caused by a small dot, not bigger than a 1 yen coin, of his Master's power. Just how much power did this monster truly have? Izuku dared not ask.

Akuma landed gracefully a few meters away from the awestruck Izuku.

"That was your first lesson Worm. A warrior must have a sharp mind. During battle you will have only a few seconds to analyse your foe, their techniques, come up with countermeasures and set up your own attack. You'll have to get used to learning quickly by just looking." Akuma paused for a second and looked into the sky. "Ah, here they come."

Something fell from the sky, striking the ground with a meaty thud. Confused, Izuku looked at the strange object and let out a yelp as the piece of meat began to jump around. It was a half-burnt fish from the river.

Another piece of meat struck the ground, then a couple more, then hundreds. The entire area was littered with chunks of meat both raw and burnt in a matter of seconds.

"This is the first and last time I ever do this for you Worm. You better learn to do what I just did if you want to have any chance to survive on this island."

Izuku raised his hand with hesitation, and after Akuma gave him permission he spoke:

"M-Master, w-what was that? Was that part of your Quirk?! Wait, you said I had to learn how to do it too, so that means— GUH!"

Akuma grabbed Izuku by the throat, piercing into the boy's soul with his red glare.

"Never, ever suggest that the Satsui no Hado, a power that requires the utmost dedication and hellish training to properly control, can be compared to something as insignificant as a Quirk. Do you understand Worm?"

Izuku could not let out any sound due to being choked by Akuma's grip, so instead he made an effort to shake his head back and forth in agreement.

"Good." Akuma let go of Izuku, who dropped to the ground gasping for air while rubbing his throat. Akuma ignored the pathetic sight and turned around with his arms crossed. "What I just showed you is called a Gohadouken, which is a Hadouken infused with the power of the Satsui no Hado. It is the most basic form of energy projection and it can be used both defensively and offensively during combat. For most people it takes years of arduous training to be able to even manifest the energy, but I believe you might be able to pull it off sooner, Worm. After all, you already have a considerable amount of Hado you can tap into. All you have to do is learn how to materialize it, control its shape and shoot it."

Izuku looked up to Akuma from the ground.

"Master, is this the same power as in my dream? Does that mean I can also do something like that?"

"Foolish Worm, I have no way of knowing what the hell goes on in your dreams, nor do I care." Akuma shamelessly lied. In truth he could read Izuku like an open book, but that was not something the boy needed to know, and he had already wasted a considerable amount of time and his body ached to return to its eternal training. "You have the potential to do the same, so make sure you don't waste it. Now, I'll depart to the mountain and continue with my training. You have exactly one week to show me your progress. Remember the rules, I am not here to hold your hand."

Akuma crouched slightly, getting himself ready to depart from the scene, however he decided to give Izuku one last piece of advice before leaving.

"One last thing Worm. Focus on developing a strong will and never allow your emotions to overwhelm you. The Hado thrives on emotions," negative ones for the most part, but Akuma decided it was best he kept that to himself, "so make sure to never let them govern you. The Hado will try to take over your soul at every moment of weakness, so be prepared."

And with that, Akuma jumped towards the mountains, leaving the area faster than the untrained eye could process. In truth, he also wanted Izuku to experience the power of a weak Gohadouken first hand before leaving, but the boy's body was still far too weak. Even if he held back, Izuku would most likely die from the sheer force of the impact. That was something they would have to work on when he returned, the priority right now was to make sure Izuku could control the flow of his Hado and avoid becoming insane. Strength training and pain endurance would come later.

_Let's see what you can manage to do on your own, Worm._

* * *

"Haaah… " Izuku exhaled deeply once he could no longer feel his Master's crushing presence. That old man scared him to death, so much so he did not dare ask even half the questions he originally wanted to.

Izuku mused about his predicament. If Akuma was telling the truth, then he had no other choice but to learn how to control his Hado, otherwise he would be driven insane. Judging by his recent nightmares, headaches and bursts of emotions, his master was most likely telling the truth, though Izuku could not help but feel he had been lied to somehow. Perhaps there were still some things Akuma had decided not to share with him.

_Also why did I agree to all this? I don't understand… I just want to go home and make sure mom is OK, but for some reason I felt like I belonged here… What am I even thinking?!_

Izuku was confused at his own thoughts, but in the end decides that his best course of action is to put up with Akuma's training until he can stop this Hado from destroying his mind and then search for a way to contact his mother. Izuku knew she must be desperately searching for him and that tore him apart, but he understood that if he left now he would just end up dead or insane thanks to this new "blessing."

_GRRUUUUUURRGHH_

Izuku's thoughts were interrupted by his grumbling stomach.

_R-Right, I feel like I haven't eaten in forever. But to eat all these…_

Izuku looked around the area littered with the half-raw, half-burnt fish corpses. If he had to give an honest answer, Izuku would rather look for something else to eat, but his growing hunger had caught up to him all of the sudden. He really needed to eat something.

_Now that I think about it, I still don't know how long I slept in that shrine or how long I was inside that storm… Just how long have I been unconscious anyways?! How come I am not dehydrated? Based on his overall attitude, I highly doubt Akuma did any more than simple first aid when he found me…_

Izuku quickly found himself lost in his musings and his muttering would have continued for several minutes if a sharp pain on his stomach and a sore throat had not stopped him.

"Ugh… what's this? I, I was fine just a minute ago… why do I feel so weak all of the sudden…"

Had Izuku been running on fumes all this time without realizing it? Just why had he not experienced any symptoms until now? What changed? This was bad, his body was losing strength at an alarming rate, and Izuku feared he might just really die from starvation if he did not do something about it soon. Izuku began shambling his way towards the river and once he reached the bank he dropped down to his knees and drank the refreshing water. It tasted particularly good as it flowed down his throat and reinvigorated his body, though Izuku's stomach still complained, demanding him to fill the void with something more nutritious.

Izuku grabbed a nearby fish, or to be precise, he grabbed what looked like a mangled piece of half-burnt meat. Had he not witnessed the earlier scene he would never have guessed it used to be a fish. Was he really that desperate that he would even eat something so clearly awful?

_GRUUUURGHH_

Yes, he was.

Izuku brought the piece of meat to his mouth and after a few seconds to prepare his taste buds for the nasty flavor that was to come, he took a big bite out of the fish. It was just as bad as he expected, the lack of basic seasoning together with the half burnt and half raw texture made the meal taste like dirt. But despite the disgusting flavor, Izuku continued chomping on the meat, using the river's water to wash down the taste. After he finished swallowing the first piece of fish, he took another and repeated the process.

In total, Izuku ate about ten medium size fish alone. His mouth and throat felt like puking but his stomach seemed to have been satisfied with the poor meal.

"That… that was disgusting." Said Izuku to himself, making a mental note of never neglecting his hunger in the future. He looked around the riverside and noticed that many birds and other small carnivorous animals were poaching the fish and getting into small fights over them. "I better gather a few for later before they eat them all."

Izuku was still weakened from the early starvation, but with fuel in his stomach he was slowly recuperating his strength. He walked along the riverside for a few minutes, picking up the least burnt fish he could find, collecting about twenty pieces that had not been heavily damaged by Akuma's Gohadouken. Izuku was not sure if that would be enough to last him for seven days. What would he do if he ran out of food again? Also, he could not really live out of fish alone, the human body required many different types of nutrients, would he have to resort to hunting and scavenging? Did his master do the same — wait, did Akuma have the need to eat to begin with?

Izuku shook his head, he only had seven days until Akuma's return to judge his progress. He could not waste time thinking about things he most likely will not be able to figure out on his own. The important thing right now was to cook the fish so they would last him a bit longer.

"Hmm, but how do I start a fire? Finding kindling and tinder shouldn't be a problem, considering we are in a forest, but where to get a spark?" Izuku tried to remember all those survival shows he had occasionally watched while having dinner. He wished he had paid more attention, for he could not remember the finer details.

"Wait… wasn't there steam after he used that technique? The Gohadouken? It did look like some sort of energy emitter Qui— energy projectile, does that mean it also contains heat? Or perhaps the energy could be converted into pure heat instead of just explosive force?"

According to Akuma, Izuku also had the same type of energy required to use the Gohadouken, and if he was to learn how to control his Hado then what better way than experimenting with different applications? Just how hard could it be anyways? Akuma was probably just trying to scare him… which to be fair he had succeeded at.

Izuku got excited about his possible discovery, however he would have to put it to test before celebrating. He still had no idea how to even begin manifesting the Satsui no Hado. From what he could remember, so far the Hado had manifested seemingly at random. Just what was that triggered it?

After feeling his body had recovered, Izuku gathered withered branches and grass from the surrounding forest while he mused on how to summon his Hado. After he was done gathering the fuel, he skewered the fish with some sticks around an improvised campfire. Now all he needed was a spark and he could begin his cooking.

"OK, so how did he do it again? I think it was like this…"

Izuku tried to copy the same stance as his master had taken back then. He knew he was probably doing it wrong, but there was no one he could ask for advice, so his pale imitation would have to suffice for now. Izuku adjusted his breathing in an attempt to replicate his master's breathing pattern and when he felt he had gotten the hang of it, he raised his index finger and pointed at the unlit campfire.

Five whole minutes go by and absolutely nothing happened.

"Ah what am I even doing?!" Izuku scratched his head in frustration. He felt like a fool and for the first time since his arrival he was glad that there was nobody around that could see his failure. That said, Izuku was not discouraged. He had to get this right, otherwise the Hado would kill him, and he was sure his mother was waiting for him to come back.

_Don't worry mom, I'll finish with this quickly, I swear. Just wait for me a bit longer._

Izuku stood in front of the campfire for about an hour, unable to manifest his Hado and light up the campfire. Anger and frustration began crawling their way into his head. Perhaps his theory was wrong to begin with, and all he had achieved was to waste invaluable time. Then a mysterious voice echoed within Izuku's mind:

_See? You are useless. You'll always be weak, useless Deku! Even if you had the strongest Quirk in the world, you would just waste it with your incompetence! The fact you can't even produce a tiny little flame while having all that 'untapped potential' is the living proof of it!_

Izuku clenched his jaw, exposing his teeth. A faint, almost transparent green aura began to shift over his shoulders. A throbbing headache assaulted Izuku, forcing him to bring his hands to his forehead to try to alleviate the pain.

"This, this must be it… these are the symptoms of using the Hado, aren't they?! This feeling…"

With fear, anger and excitement, Izuku tried to gain control of the unholy power within him. He could feel it coursing through every fiber of his being, increasing his heart rate, tensing his muscles and accelerating his breathing. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Izuku tried to direct the Hado towards his hand, mentally pushing it to the tip of his index finger.

_You are worthless._

_Ew, you are so creepy!_

_This Quirkless idiot wants to be a hero!_

_So freaking lame!_

_Why are you so damn useless?_

_Stupid fucking Deku._

Izuku did his best to ignore the jeering and focused on materializing the Hado. As he visualized a tiny ball of fire flickering at the tip of his finger it began to feel warm... and a bit swollen.

He was going to do it! He was going to prove everyone that doubted him wrong! He would finally surpass the fate given to him by the spiteful Gods.

But suddenly, an unmistakable boisterous laughter echoed inside Izuku's mind, causing him to lose his concentration for a mere instant.

A popping sound is heard and Izuku opened his eyes wide like plates. His eyes shifted to the pile of wood and then to the red smoke that emanated from it.

"I-I DID IT! YES! I FINALLY DID IT! I KNEW IT COULDN'T BE SO— !" Izuku's celebration was interrupted when he noticed a brown-red liquid covering the fish and wood.

It was boiled blood.

His boiled blood.

Izuku directed his sight towards his raised hand after feeling a stabbing pain. His index phalanx was missing, and his finger resembled a torn sausage that had been microwaved for far too long.

Izuku screamed in agony as he clutched his ruined finger with eyes full of tears. The unbearable pain caused him to drop to the ground and squirm in pain. His bitter laments ran through the forest and drove away the nearby critters.

A hunter green aura, Izuku's own Hado had finally manifested again, enveloping his writhing body. However it was no cause for celebration. The uncontrollable amount of Hado his body exuded kept increasing alongside the intensity of Izuku's own wails. His body was not capable of handling such a sudden surge of dark energy, causing his muscles to tense and produce convulsing cramps all over it. It did not matter how much Izuku screamed, the pain wouldn't go away, in fact it seemed to have the complete opposite effect.

Izuku mustered the strength and courage to look at his ruined finger and what he observed caused his eyes to widen: his hand was turning swollen and red as the burning pain spread from his finger. Before he could think of anything, tiny blisters began bubbling under the skin of his palm, until they combined and formed one big swollen bubble which exploded like a balloon full of blood, opening a clean hole right through the bones of his palm.

Color disappeared from Izuku's face as he lost more and more blood. His tongue rolled back and threatened to choke him in his anguish, his eyes turned white and his veins turned a dark green color and bulged all over his body. They seemed like they were going to explode at any given moment.

After thirty agonizing seconds, Izuku could not scream anymore. His lungs could not overpower the pressure caused by his spasming muscles, and all he could hear was the eerie jeering in his mind, mocking that he could not even breathe properly.

Izuku was going to die in the most excruciating way possible. His whole body was slowly reaching its combustion point as his flesh threatened to turn itself inside out. He was going to die due to his own arrogance, he had taken the Hado lightly and now the Hado would punish him for it.

Boiled blood began leaking out of Izuku's eyes like tears, burning his skin as they went down his freckled cheeks.

A distant memory he had been hearing an awful lot recently echoed in his mind once again:

_I am sorry Izuku! I am sorry! Please forgive me for not giving you a body with a Quirk!_

Then Izuku managed to close his mouth and frowned, clenching his teeth almost to their breaking point. He knew he had to do something, he could not give up so easily. He had survived more close encounters with death this week alone than in his whole life. He could not surrender to fate now, not when he had finally found a way to overcome his weakness.

Izuku's mind kicked into overdrive as he tried to think of a possible solution, blocking away the pain and the constant taunts at the back of his head. If his body could not handle the power and if he had no idea how to seal it back inside wherever it came from, then the only remaining alternative he could think of was to shoot the excess out before it ripped him to shreds.

With his back still on the ground, looking at the sky, Izuku summoned all his remaining strength and will to extend his torn hand towards the sky. His forearm began glowing green, with emerald energy crackling around it like lightning. Small flames began to appear around the flesh, his body was combusting. Izuku's sight began to distort, the liquid inside his eyes was reaching its boiling point.

With a terrifying roar, Izuku shot an enormous amount of white-emerald energy through his arm, forming a pillar of flames that towered over the forest line, tinting the whole area in emerald green.

An explosive shockwave was heard, and Izuku stopped feeling the Hado trying to rip him apart. Unfortunately his serenity was short lived, crushed by a searing pain and the coughing of blood.

Izuku sat up and tried to look at his wounds, but his vision was scarred. It was as if he was looking at a photograph that had been burnt in multiple spots with a candle, and he could not feel his right hand. Then Izuku heard something hit the ground and his eyes shifted towards his charred arm. All the skin and flesh from the elbow and forward had been consumed by fire, leaving only burnt muscle tissue and bones. Izuku's now bony hand was missing a finger, which now lay on the floor with green smoke coming out of it.

For the most part, Izuku was a well-mannered kid who never used foul language, but nobody would scold him for what he was about to say.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK! GAAAAAARRGH!"

Izuku's body trembled as he shook himself back and forth while holding on to his mutilated arm. The pain in his arm far surpassed that of the rest of his body. What the hell could he do now? His arm was clearly unsalvageable, it was about to fall off, in fact some of his fingers had done so already, and it hurt like hell.

_Look at him! He's about to cry! What a baby!_

_No, look! He's crying already! Bwaaah! Hahahaha!_

_Poor baby, he can't handle losing an arm?_

_Heroes are always risking their lives! How come you can't deal with a little bit of pain?_

Izuku frowned, his expression was twisted with both pain, hatred and resentment. His mouth was filling slowly with blood as he tried to hold back the sobs, choking on his coughs. Izuku did not want to try to use the Hado again. He feared the pain and he was frightened by the idea of his whole body exploding. Then Izuku remembered his master's advice:

_Focus on developing a strong will and never allow your emotions to overwhelm you._

Izuku had failed, a single gap in his concentration and this had been the result. But it was still time to test his own will, to challenge his own determination and prove his conviction. He was weak, but for no much longer! He would train, he would work his body, he would develop this Hado power, and he would never let weakness dictate his future again!

Emerald determination flashed in Izuku's broken eyes. His master had healed his wounds twice before with the power of the Hado, meaning it was not impossible for him to do the same. He had to do it, his life and his dream depended on it.

Izuku tried to stand up but his legs were not responsive, so he began to drag himself with one arm towards the skewered fish. He was not sure how the healing properties of the Hado worked, but he remembered that some healing quirks drained the patient of their stamina. He was not willing to gamble, so he ate a couple of fish raw. The taste was awful, mixed with the iron flavor of his own burnt blood.

After finishing the disgusting snack, he took a tree branch from the campfire and stuck it in his mouth. Then Izuku lay himself on the floor, placing his missing fingers near his burnt hand, and began thinking about healing his arm. More derisive voices could be heard inside his head, mocking his pitiful situation, but the only thought in Izuku's head was the idea of fixing his arm.

A whole agonizing minute passed without any results, but before Izuku could pass out he heard the voice that had kept him going forward all this time.

_My poor baby… my Izu-kun… I am so sorry..._

_Mom please stop crying… I'll show them— I'll show you that I can do this… and then... and then…_

Then Izuku's hunter green aura manifested once more and enveloped his arm. He felt liquid glass flowing through his veins towards his ruined arm, but his screams were muffled by the branch in his mouth, crunching it almost to the point of snapping it in two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: That took forever! Now I look back and I feel like a fool for saying I would finish this chapter for January. Well, something came up: LIFE! and also I got an internship I had not planned for, so that ate away a third of my time, the other third I used for studying and other necessities and the final third I used for sleeping (always remember to keep a healthy sleeping schedule!). Another reason this took forever was that, in the beginning, I wrote a draft of like 9000 words and naively thought it would turn into a 10k chapter after finishing it. Boy I was wrong. So I cut the chapter a bit because I don't want chapters to be way too over 10k words (I'll strive for around 10k per chapter from now on), but on the bright side that means I got a bit of the next chapter ready already! So that means the next chapter will come sooner... hopefully.
> 
> I know I said that this chapter would focus on Izuku's physical training, but as I wrote it it felt more natural to deal with all the mental corruption first. I know the pacing may seem a bit slow but I promise to move the plot forward a bit faster on the following chapters (Izuku will hopefully leave Akuma Island by the end of chapter four or beginning of chapter five) also I felt that there were many things that had to be set up and said between Izuku and Akuma before Izuku began this life changing decision (plus Izuku doesn't really trust Akuma for good reasons).
> 
> If you are worried that Izuku won't end up being a villain because his whole speech of "wanting to help others" and stuff, then fear not. I have always been a fan of Villain AUs, and I don't mind when the writer makes Izuku jump straight into being a villain after getting his dreams crushed, but for this story I wanted an Izuku whose good intentions got twisted and corrupted by a dark power and a bad influence. Kinda like a "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" kind of Izuku, where he thinks he is doing a positive thing but does not mind having to break a few eggs to achieve it (though without going full on "the end justifies the means"). I hope I can pull it off in a way that is both satisfactory and somewhat believable for everyone.
> 
> Next chapter will briefly feature another SF character, so look forward to it! They will also play an important role later on in the story. Am not telling who it is though, sorry (not sorry)!
> 
> That's it for now. I'll be starting a new semester in the following days so I'll have a bit more time before exams consume all my time. Hope you liked this chapter.
> 
> Cheers! And remember…
> 
> 滅METSU! 滅


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